For the last episode of 2023, TWiV describes how ancient chicken remains reveal the increase of fitness and virulence of Marek’s disease virus, and the diversity and dissemination of Leishmania virus in the pathogenic protozoan Leishmania braziliensis.
Mohsan joins TWiV to discuss the work of his laboratory showing that spike and nsp6 are determinants of Omicron attenuation, and why the work was widely misinterpreted by the press and the public.
TWiV reviews a leaked CDC document on virulence and spread of the delta variant, and how anti-alphavirus antibodies that do not neutralize infection can nevertheless protect mice from disease.
In this week’s coverage of the coronavirus epidemic, the TWiV team discusses the fatality rate, China’s initial reaction to the outbreak, conspiracy theories, how long the virus remains infectious on surfaces, and evidence for virus in the intestinal tract.
The TWiVerati follow up on the Ebola virus outbreak, virulence of Ebola-Makona, and reveal how a parasitoid is revealed to hyperparasitoids, and binding of influenza virus to a calcium ion channel to mediate influenza virus entry.
Vincent, Kathy, and Alan review the ongoing outbreak of Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the finding that mutations identified in the 2015 West African outbreak do not alter pathogenesis in animals.
Vincent and Rich discuss fruit fly viruses, one year without polio in Nigeria, and a permissive Marek’s disease viral vaccine that allows transmission of virulent viruses.
The TWiV team discusses how skin scarification promotes a nonspecific immune response, and whether remaining stocks of smallpox virus should be destroyed.
Vincent returns to the University of Wisconsin – Madison to speak with Ann Palmenberg about her career in virology.
Vincent, Rich, Alan and Kathy review aerosol transmission studies of influenza H1N1 x H5N1 reassortants, H7N9 infections in China, and the MERS coronavirus.
The Hosts of TWiV
Vincent Racaniello, Ph.D.
Brianne Barker, Ph.D.
Rich Condit, Ph.D.
Alan Dove, Ph.D.
Daniel Griffin, M.D.,
Ph.D., CTropMed CTH
Angela Mingarelli, DVM
Jolene Ramsey, Ph.D.
Kathy Spindler, Ph.D.